Kerry Petroleum Intermediate Club Football Championship
Report by Aidan Clifford
Laune Rangers: 1-19
Fossa: 3-11
It was a breath-taking game that gave us everything, but most importantly Laune Rangers came out on the right side of the result of the Kerry Petroleum Intermediate Club Football Championship Semi-Final against Fossa in Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The first game of the day saw Austin Stacks book their place in the Final with defeat of Glenbeigh/Glencar, so Laune Rangers will have to defeat the same opposition that sent them down to the Intermediate grade if they want to travel in the opposite direction in two weeks time.
Calum Moriarty opened the scoring with a point after a minute, but Fossa replied in style with the first goal of a first half David Clifford hat-trick. Eoghan Hassett pointed twice (one free) to level matters, but Fossa made use of the breeze at their backs as David Clifford (2) and Emmet O’Shea put them three ahead. Laune Ranges were soon level with their only goal of the game, as Dáire Cleary ran through the Fossa defence and passed to Stephen Sealy who deftly popped the ball to Tom Whittleton who made no mistake with the finish.
Fossa cancelled out that goal with immediate effect as, on the next play, David Clifford collected the ball from his brother Paudie and the ball was bound for the net. David added another shortly after to put his side ahead by 2-4 to 1-3 with fifteen minutes played.
Tom Whittleton, Oisín Birmingham & John Tyther brought Laune Rangers back to within a point but Fossa were on the ascendancy, and pointed through David Clifford (2) & Harry Buckley. John Tyther added a free for Rangers but Fossa hit the net for a third time before the break – David Clifford from the penalty spot. Eoghan Hassett and David Clifford (free) traded points, leaving Fossa with a two goal lead at the break.
Half-Time Score:- Laune Rangers 1-8, Fossa 3-8.
Eoghan Hassett and David Clifford exchanged frees again in the early minutes of the second half, but Laune Rangers began to dominate all areas of the field and set after that six point deficit. Eoghan Hassett added a point before he and John Tyther slotted frees. Laune Rangers were close to goal in the 40th minute but Gearóid Hassett was denied by Shane O’Sullivan.
Eoghan Hassett’s sights were in and he slotted a super free while John Tyther added another. The scores were level by the 48th minute, as Fiachra Clifford scored a super effort from the right flank. It was almost all for nought though, as David Clifford was through on goal again, but this time Jason Browne pulled off a fantastic save.
Eoghan Hassett pointed a free to give Laune Rangers the lead but, after Paudie Clifford forced Jason Browne into another super save, David levelled matters with a free.
Laune Rangers regained the lead with another Eoghan Hassett free, he added his 10th score of the game after Matt Leslie had pointed also to put the Killorglin men three ahead with time expiring.
Fossa laid siege to the Laune Rangers goal for the last few minutes. Paudie Clifford came close to a levelling goal when his punched effort hit the crossbar but his side would not get the all important goal. David Clifford tapped over a free to bring his tally to 3-8 but Laune Rangers held on to book their place in the Intermediate Championship Final.
Full-Time Score: Laune Rangers 1-19, Fossa 3-11
Laune Rangers:- Jason Browne, Shane Clifford, Oisín Daly, Seán Cleary, Calum Moriarty (0-1), Eoin Clifford, Oisín Birmingham (0-1), Eoin O’Sullivan, Tom Whittleton (1-1), Stephen Sealy, Gearóid Hassett, Fiachra Clifford (0-1), Eoghan Hassett (0-10, 5f), Dáire Cleary, John Tyther (0-4, 3f) Subs: John Burke for O’Sullivan, Patrick Daly for G Hassett, Matthew Leslie (0-1) for Tyther, Patrick Carey for S Clifford, Rory O’Connor for F Clifford.
FOSSA: Shane O’Sullivan, Cian McCarthy, Rian Colleran, Brian Myers, Dan O’Keeffe, Kieran O’Sullivan, Paddy Sheehan, Cian O’Shea, Daniel O’Connell, Harry Buckley (0-1), Matt Rennie, Eoin Talbot, Paudie Clifford, David Clifford (3-8, 6f), Emmet O’Shea (0-2) Subs: Darren Ryan for Buckley, Ruairí Doyle for O’Keeffe, Fintan Coffey for Talbot.
